Tag Archives: Progressive Rock

Roger King, the multi-talented musician and engineer has, among other projects been working with Steve Hackett now for more than 20 years. King had the enviable task of joining Hackett and a number of select peers to reinterpret Genesis songs originally composed and recorded between 1971 and 1977. These were released as two collections since the time he’s been on board. This King did while also recording and performing compelling new material with Hackett and his band, taking all this out on the road. For any fan of Genesis, the fact that the band’s 70’s era guitarist has been dusting off these vaulted classics and presenting them live is continuing cause for celebration. At this point, just about every worthy track Hackett graced during his time with Genesis has been resurrected on record and/or in concert. Through it all, the enduring guitarist’s own band has become a finely honed outfit, and the live shows have been absolutely fantastic – I was privileged to see the complete set at the Royal Albert Hall, and have attended several gigs since, including last year’s mix of Genesis and solo classics –Alcolyte to Wolflight. Roger King was a fixture of these shows throughout, a key component of the band and it’s unique sound.

Keyboard player Andrew Colyer (Circuline) and I had the chance to sit down and have a short talk with King on the recent Cruise to the Edge festival while on calm seas in the Gulf of Mexico. King began a musical journey in his youth as church organist, studying piano from an early age, then gaining a degree in music and sound engineering at University of Surrey in the UK. We started by asking about his early work as sound engineer and player, and how he became part of Steve Hackett’s band:

I recorded a lot of demos for Island records in the UK and did a lot of film work – some with Trevor Jones – maybe 5 or 6 years working on some fairly high profile movies as a keyboard-playing sound engineer. I did a lot of work on house mixes – 126bpm stomping remixes for the London club scene, which you can see as unlikely and it was but you fall into these things don’t you? It’s as a jobbing engineer.

I had a manager at that time who did a mail shot to potential employers as I lived in Twickenham in greater London. She happened upon a management company there who by chance was Steve’s then manager so I landed on their map as a local engineer and they just happened to be looking for someone so I got the call – this was back in 1995. I knew about Steve and Genesis, and had seen Steve in Guildford in Surrey when I was at University. Peter Gabriel and Mike Rutherford turned up so it was a nice gig to have seen!

As anyone who has seen the band live or collected the DVDs or recordings knows, the music of Genesis is given new life on these outings. As had been the case back when these songs were first played live, the music comes alive in concert. There is precision to the performances, along with some room for interpretation. It’s a beautiful near-contradiction – an updated sound that still hones closely to the spirit and letter of the original works – a pleasure for fans and newcomers alike. The accomplished band now includes Gary O’Toole (drums, percussion and vocals), Rob Townsend (winds, percussion), Nick Beggs (bass and paraphernalia), Nad Sylvan (vocals), and Roger King (keyboards).

Roger’s performance is a critical part of making the original Genesis material sound so amazing 40-plus years after it was originally created. Given Tony Banks was such a precise player with such an identifiable sound, one who stayed close to recorded originals, we asked Roger about preparing to play these Genesis classics live. How does he find the right sounds to deploy when preparing for the recordings and tours – how balance vintage and modern technology?

It was quite a bit of work. Tony wasn’t particularly a technophile; he used what was in front of him. Yet you hear things he created such as the enormous strings sound on “The Fountain of Salmacis,” that I could never get anywhere near. He had and has a strong sensibility for sound – a powerful sonic signature to follow. And it’s a lot of work to try and get somewhere near it because those instruments – the Hammond, the Pro Soloist, and Mellotron themselves have such strong sonic signatures and characters.

I used an analog synth plug in – the U-He Diva that I’m really fond of in addition to their semi modular synth Ace which enables you to do some of the things – it’s the character I want really, rather than being as accurate to the original as possible. I’m not a nostalgia freak; it’s the character of the sounds that brings the original live in my memory. For example, we’re doing “One for the Vine” on this tour. It’s interesting to listen to the album version and live version, and see that live in 1977 most of the song is missing from the keyboard perspective because you couldn’t do it then, and yet we can to a greater extent cover the arrangements today. It’s a lovely song to play; it’s a terrific composition.

This seemed the moment to gush a bit about the quality of the performances and the audience response to these shows. The Genesis Revisited and Wolflight to Acolyte concerts were very special, and we asked Roger if he has a sense of how well they have been coming off – if he’s noticed the reaction to standout moments such as the coda to “Shadow of the Hierophant.” He is typically humble:

We’ve grown as a band, blessed with some top of class musicians. When you’re playing, using in-ear monitors, to a certain extent you’re divorced from what the audience is getting for the sake of clarity and saving your hearing and all the rest of it, but yeah I listen back to the live stuff occasionally and think “that’s okay yeah” (smiles) and there are bits of things we play where I was thinking when we first approached it, like some of the Wolflight material, well how are we going to do this live, it’s going to be a stripped back thing. Now I kind of prefer the live performances in a way, there is a bit more vitality.

I have to say we are blessed with a world class front house engineer and the other technical guys – they are unbelievably good so they should take a lot of the credit – they’re really part of the band. We do need and have a front house engineer Ben Fenner who also acts as a kind of producer so he’s able to say to me or anyone else on stage – “that sound you make there, can we change it, or can you change the balance of your keyboards or what about playing a C there instead of a D” because he gets the big picture and we don’t – you have to have somebody you can trust who can guide you in these things as well – we’re hugely fortunate.

The coda to “Shadow…” is something we almost always play – it’s a simple piece of music but because it’s so loud and gets bigger and bigger so it does go down well. Steve enjoys playing it, just to make a din really, and give Gary a chance to let himself go – it’s almost, no exactly, like a drum solo!

One of the follow up discussion points is about the emotional connection to this music. Roger shares that he is able to keep from the distraction of being emotionally overwhelmed by the swelling strings and quiet sentimental parts he’s playing – noting that while in the chair there is real focus. Plus, to really get at his core, he has to spin some original classical music. What’s his favorite music and how does he bring that to bear working with Steve and also with Nick Beggs in The Mute Gods? What’s coming up on both of these fronts?

My favorite is Twentieth Century orchestral music. Once upon a time playing the organ meant that Bach became central to my record collection. I really like Stravinski, Messian, Lutoslowski – all these huge orchestral works. Sometimes I get to visit the classics – for instance the new Mute Gods album is out now Tardigrades Will Inherit The Earth. Nick said “I’d like to start it off with a funeral march, do you fancy writing a funeral march?” Funny way to start an album, we’ll just get all the death stuff over with! And it is a pretty doom-laden album as it happens. I thought, fantastic I can write something like a bit of Lutoslawski! There is a terrific piece of music, one of my favorite pieces by that composer called “Funereal Music” and I wanted to write something like that. It was great fun to get the orchestral chops polished a little bit.

When I work with Steve, the basic structure of the songwriting is established as he comes up with the tunes. He might say to me “these are the chords, and I’ve got the tune, but Id like these bars to be orchestral.” So I roll up my sleeves and have a go at it. Parts of it work naturally live; others are a bit of work. At the end of recording, you’re presented with hundreds of tracks from the studio with layer upon layer of sound, and you look to make it work in concert as one keyboard player!

The next Steve Hackett album The Night Siren is just coming out in March. Best to ask Steve about it, but I would say it’s a natural follow on from Wolflight – maybe Son of Wolflight! It has many of the same characteristics in the songwriting and production. In many ways we’ve built on that, and included some international musicians. We are already playing some of it (on the cruise) and are looking forward to taking it out on the tour.

Given all that Roger is bringing to these projects for Steve Hackett and The Mute Gods, the natural question is, will we be hearing any Roger King solo material?

Nick is already talking about a third Mute Gods album, on an almost daily basis! And I know Steve will be saying he’s got some new things. My wife is encouraging me to do it – I’ve got people I can work with who are terrific, who are offering to make contributions, now its just a matter of time and energy, but expect it one day!

Let’s hope for that day to come. In the mean time, catch Roger during the next leg of Steve Hackett’s Night Siren tour, booked thus far in Europe and the U.K. from March to May, and watch for any gigs by The Mute Gods.

Camel is one of the greatest 1970’s era progressive rock bands on record, sitting comfortably next to Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd and other classics in the genre. Yet this amazing, enduring band garners less name recognition than their stature demands. Led by Andrew Latimer (guitar, flute, vocals, later keyboards) and initially with his partner, the late Peter Bardens (keyboards) joining Doug Ferguson (bass) and Andy Ward (drums), the band navigates rock and jazz motifs, prog / space rock, and English folk for the greater whole. Camel just released a concert DVD taken from a fantastic performance last year in Japan, thoughtfully titled ichigo ichie (Treasure every encounter, for it will never recur). The film as produced by Susan Hoover, filmed and Directed by David Minasian is exceptionally crafted. It captures a four-piece lineup delivering a set list of classics from their long catalog, highlighting one of their most popular original albums Moonmadness (1976). The staging and lighting is simple; the whole production is tightly focused on the band and their playing, with ample close ups of keys, frets and toms. It will be a treasure for long time fans and newcomers alike who want to see these musicians up close, in a crisp audio and video production.

Camel is ripe for rediscovery by those who missed out on this band to date. For one thing, their work remains consistently enjoyable, less jagged than their more metal-oriented followers, more listenable. Much of Camel’s work is actually quite sunny – often heartwarming – while Latimer’s evocative guitar style might be compared to David Gilmore of Pink Floyd fame, there is less gloom in their work, more major than minor tonality. Part of this influence was Peter Bardens, whose keys and compositions graced the first six records from 1972’s self-titled debut Camel, through 1978’s Breathless. He left the band and went on to success as a solo “new age” music artist before his untimely passing in 2002. Other group members playing bass, keys, and drums have changed over multiple times, with the most persistent member being Colin Bass, an amazing bass player who also offers rich vocals to many tracks since 1979. Powerhouse drummer Denis Clement joined in 2000 and has punctuated albums and stage shows since. The most persistently rotating seat in the Camel lineup has been at the keyboards. After Bardens, a series of exceptionally strong keys men have played on albums and/or concert tours, among them Jan Schelhaas, Kit Watkins, Dave Sinclair, Chris Rainbow, Mickey Simmonds, Guy LeBlanc, Ton Scherpenzeel, and for their most recent show, captured on the new DVD, Pete Jones.

Pete Jones is fascinating to behold throughout the concert. Though rendered sightless before age 2, he’s built a career as a composer and multi-instrumentalist, and released a very well regarded album under the moniker Tiger Moth Tales. His warm expressive vocals grace that solo work, and were put to excellent use with Camel. Jones sings on opener “Never Let Go,” then later “Air Born” and “Long Goodbyes.” The tenor of his voice, the lilt – it was like he was born to take these songs out live with the band. His keyboards throughout, and recorder solo on “Preparation” are sublime.

Again the set list includes a handful of tracks from Moonmadness, while touching on most of Camel’s other core records. It’s fairly common for Latimer and crew to say little between songs – to let the music and a bit of lighting speak for itself. True here again, as Latimer’s first interaction is, “How wonderful to be back in Tokyo after 16 years!” followed during the show with very brief introductions to the songs, and the naming of band members. As the show is in Japan, brevity seems appropriate, and as intended the music and fairly limited lighting effects set the stage. This affords an uninterrupted, bird’s eye view for the cameramen to put us right on stage, up close, most appropriate for any aspiring musician who may want to see just how those colorful notes are magically drawn by each musicians. Of the set, the band really stretches out on “Hopeless Anger” with a searing guitar solo from Andrew, dramatic deep toms from Clement and Jones giving his best. Sentimental ballad “Long Goodbyes” was dedicated by Latimer to two “dear friends” Chris Rainbow and Guy LeBlanc – who are on longer with us.

Camel has been Latimer’s primary occupation, being the one remaining original member, composer and driving force and after a period of inactivity from 2003-2013 due to illness, he and the band have been back on the road for short tours several times over the last few years. Time has not diminished their skills, and we have in Camel an important and enduring ensemble of immense talent. The journey continues – check out this DVD to see how impressive and worthy their travels have been – here’s hoping they embark again.

The stats:

Ichigo ichie: Treasure every encounter, for it will never recur
Camel Live in Japan 2016

Fresh air, exceptional, challenging music, calm seas, good fellowship: this year’s floating concert spectacle, Cruise to the Edge 2017 was undeniably one of the best yet. It’s the forth time progressive rock heroes Yes have sponsored this particular festival and it was smooth sailing in almost every respect. This time we were afloat on the Brilliance of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean cruise liner which experienced travellers said was above average though not the best craft in the league. Made little difference – the real attraction of these trips is the exciting lineup of progressive rock bands new and old, fresh or reconstituted, and this year’s collection of artists ensured there was something for every fan.

Yes has been joined in the past by their 1970s contemporaries Marillion, Steve Hackett, Carl Palmer, PFM, Three Friends (Gentle Giant), Tangerine Dream, UK, Caravan, and Martin Barre (Jethro Tull), along with newer prog acts Anathema, Enchant, Moon Safari, Lifesigns and many others. Each festival has had something to offer, and has been successful despite each running into a storm during the voyage!

This year’s lineup included returning mainstays and new acts: Yes, Steve Hackett, Kansas, Mike Portnoy, The Neal Morse Band, Spock’s Beard, Stickmen, Haken, IO Earth, Patrick Moraz, Bad Dreams, District 97, Anglagard, Curved Air, Frost, Electric Asturias, Focus, The Fringe, Dave Kerezner, Pain of Salvation, and Scott Henderson. An excellent lineup made even better with a special appearance by Dixie Dregs/Kansas/Deep Purple axe-man Steve Morse who surprised the crowd on opening day with a great but short set from Flying Colors, staged during Mike Portnoy’s 50th birthday bash.

Missing this year but certainly not forgotten was prog legend John Wetton, who passed away just before the cruise was to depart, a very short time after announcing he would not be able to make the event. John Lodge from The Moody Blues stepped in after the unfortunate announcement. There was a moment of silence for John at the opening event, and a number of tributes to him by the other artists on the cruise – possibly the most touching when Steve Hackett dedicated the Genesis mainstay “Afterglow” to our fallen friend. We miss you more …as well.

Once again Jon Kirkman was our eloquent master of ceremonies. Jon is so deeply studied in the prog arts and music in general that his many interviews with band members during the course of the cruise are a always a highlight. Jon’s new book, Yes Dialogue (@TimeAndAWordTheYesInterviews) is hitting stores now. We had the brief chance to take a look at this excellent book, which sports numerous never-before-seen photos and lots of inside information on this enduring band.

Roger Dean was in attendance again this year, with Michael and the team at Trading Boundaries at his gallery top deck. This was another chance for cruisers to obtain one of Roger’s stunning prints, from the Yes and Virgin Records logos, to the cover of Gentle Giant’s Octopus (UK), or the magnificent cover for Yes Tales From Topographic Oceans. Roger kindly displayed a copy of my new book Rockin’ the City of Angelsat his front desk with postcard ads as this tome contains licensed shots of the Yes Relayer tour taken by Martyn Dean in addition to a couple of Roger’s legendary album cover images.https://www.amazon.com/Rockin-City-Angels-Douglas-Harr/dp/0997771100/

Roger Dean’s Gallery

One of the fantastic features of this cruise is the Late Night Live sessions. As the name implies live music fills the wee hours from about midnight into the early morning. Organized by broadcaster Rob Rutz and a team of dedicated proggers, this event gives attendees who can play or sing a chance to take the stage and perform with other fans, sometimes with one of the professional musicians who come to cheer them on and lend an occasional hand. This afforded us a chance to see and hear Jon Davison (Yes), Nad Sylvan (Steve Hackett) members of Circuline and others perform side by side with many talented fans, as they work together often for the first time, through long set lists that cover tracks from our prog favorites old and new.

As mentioned, there was something for fans of nearly every style of progressive rock music from the big acts to the newer lot. As usually there isn’t time to get to all of the bands. Here are some snaps from the top acts I was able to see:

Yes: Continued their album-pair set that included the hard-driving Drama record and two sides of masterwork Tales From Topographic Oceans. Jay Shellen was there to assist Alan White on drums, and Billy Sherwood was absolutely on fire, visibly happy, relaxed and just nailing bass parts that were absolutely reminiscent of Chris Squire yet still colored by his own unique palette. I could have watched the whole show again just to see and hear Sherwood at that level of excellence. It had to be part of what drove the whole band, including guitarist Steve Howe to perform at the top of their game. That Drama was featured surely inspired keyboard wizard Geoff Downes who was a part of that era’s lineup. Jon Davison also mentioned in interview that it was liberating for him to do some vocals not originally recorded by founder Jon Anderson as this allowed for some stretching out, on material that is more strident and modern (added Howe and White).

Steve Hackett: played a few stellar new tracks, along with a set list that included several from Genesis masterwork Wind and Wuthering, now 40 years on. These songs included “Eleventh Earl of Mar,” “One for the Vine,” and EP B-side “Inside and Out” along with the oft-played suite that ends the album. During that coda, Hackett dedicated “Afterglow” to fallen friend John Wetton leaving not many a dry eye in the house. Hackett and his band continue to stage innovative progressive rock concerts that are second to none.

Kansas took the stage for a pair of first time CTTE performances, receiving many standing ovations from the audience. With the addition of Ronnie Platt on vocals and keys, and additional expert musicians, the band is able to present new and old Kansas music with the level of instrumental and vocal prowess once championed by retired founders Kerry Livgren and Steve Walsh, albeit without the handstands!

Mike Portnoy celebrated his 50th birthday, and for his fans and admirers this was a key event on the cruise. Of the various bands he’s been in, my top vote goes to Flying Colors and they were the toast of the launch.

Haken: They get the award for continuous improvement. I’ve seen them over the years and each time their performances just get tighter, both instrumentally and vocally, fronting compositions that increasingly achieve balance between light and dark for a melodic and powerful form of prog.

Anglagard: Similarly this exceptional Swedish band continues to amaze as they endure. Their first performance was cut short by late night rain, but the full set the next day found them astutely blending electric and acoustic piano/sax/flute against electric frets for a compelling strain of prog, most reminiscent of the 70s era while still sounding new and all their own.

Patrick Moraz: legendary keyboardist on his own at the piano…. Magnifique!

District 97: Highly talented band, brilliant set.

Neal Morse and Spock’s Beard were crowd favorites I ended up missing, but everyone I talked to who saw them, John Lodge, Bad Dreams, Alex Machacek, Frost, The Fringe, Dave Kerzner and Pain of Salvation loved those sets.

Now that we are in the new year, I am compelled to catch up with some reviews and activities that unjustly fell off the plate during a very busy period leading up to 2017, right when my new book was released. To begin, one of the best new albums I heard last year was the excellent second release from prog rock band Circuline, titled Counterpoint.

Circuline was founded three years ago and released Return in 2015. That debut garnered positive reviews and the group moved forward to produce this spectacular follow up. Counterpoint features Andrew Colyer (keyboards, sound design, vocals), Darin Brannon (drums, percussion, keyboards), Natalie Brown (lead vocals), William “Billy” Spillane (lead vocals, rhythm guitars), Paul Ranieri (basses) and new guitarist Beledo. What’s really unique about the sophomore outing is that there are no less than seven guest guitarists contributing to the album, including Randy McStine (The Fringe, Lo-Fi Resistance) who also contributed lyrics and vocal melodies, Doug Ott (Enchant), Alek Darson (Fright Pig), Ryche Chlanda (Fireballet, Renaissance), Alan Shikoh (Glass Hammer), Matt Dorsey (Sound of Contact, Dave Kerzner) and Stanley Whitaker (Happy the Man, Oblivion Sun).

Occasionally I find modern prog music a bit wearing as so many new bands employ the ‘wall of sound’ approach that grates as the years go by. Yet on Counterpoint while there is epic prog intensity it is all balanced out with a deft use of dynamics. There is a separation in the field of sound, lots of space for us to hear bass or drum led passages, and meaningful lyrics delivered by beautiful vocal leads and multi-part harmonies; the warm vibrato of Brown/Spillane shines throughout. Critically, Colyer’s default keys are played on real grand piano (courtesy of Yamaha) layered with warm synth patches atop Brannon’s well-tuned toms. It’s not by accident that the music is so listenable – Brannon/Colyer write most of it and you can hear the result of how much thought and effort they put into their choices. It leads to a set list that is melodic and rhythmic in the way that a focused pairing of keys and percussion can achieve. Yet expert frets abound both at the low and high end – there is ample room for Ranieri/Beledo along with everyone that contributes.

Highlights abound across these ten songs – lush harmonies on “Who I Am,” Colyer’s gorgeous piano intro leading into long form suite “Hollow,” Darson’s searing guitar solo during “Forbidden Planet.” “Erosion” builds tension before “Nautilus” kicks in with more major tones, and great solos on frets and keys. “Stay (Peter Frankenstan)” is a favorite of the set – jazz-infused chord progressions, rumbling toms, impactful lyrics, and a smooth, winding lead from ace-guitarist Whitaker – a cycle of vocal harmonies to finish it off. “Inception” and “Summit” finish the set in a way that will please fans of prog and all-round creative music. The latter opens with a slow build and jazzy riff that pins down each verse, the chorus is set to dramatic phrasing as the band comes together, building on the themes rather than overwhelming them. The instrumental conclusion includes a section with intricate grand piano atop more tuned toms, building a theme that grows in intensity before easing it all back down to end the album. Lyrics reflect the ascent:

I left my life there And laid my soul bare Scaling the summit for truth

The song is a powerful coda to this excellent album – if you missed it, now is a good time to remedy that and add it to your playlist.

Jon Downes, editor of Gonzo Weekly interviewed me last week about my new book, Rockin’ the City of Angels. Here is the transcript, also up at GonzoWeekly.com:

Tell us about the book

When I was a teenager (way back in the 1970s), I was lucky enough to be able to attend dozens of rock concerts staged in Los Angeles, (aka the City of Angels). Rock music was life to me, and probably due to 7 years of piano lessons I was in love with prog rock. My collection of records and concert tickets included Genesis, Yes, Jethro Tull, and Pink Floyd, along with what I felt were the highest quality rock bands like Zep, The Who, Queen, and Kansas. Music patronage became a lifelong passion for me. The concerts at that time were becoming amazing spectacles, with elaborate theatrical productions. As the lyrics were often as important as the music to me, the fact that many bands dramatized the themes of certain songs, or even whole concept albums made for artful theater.

I wrote this book as a “love letter” to rock musicians of the ‘70s— focused ultimately on the concerts and the films that captured them. I used only photos of the bands live in concert – no portraits. I wanted to show and tell the story of these concert performances from the standpoint of a fan, hoping a reader would relate to a guy who might have been a few seats down the row at these shows, who might have raved about what we just saw on the way home.

As an example of a chapter, one covers the Genesis tour The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. There are fantastic shots by Armando Gallo, a Melody-Maker cover showing Gabriel’s grotesque Slipperman costume, pages from the concert program, a ticket stub from the date at the Los Angeles Shrine auditorium, and sample frames from the film. The written material illuminates the album and tour, the special effects, and the film of the production’s slide show, which many fans might not realize exists (it’s on the 71-75 box set). This was a blueprint for all 36 bands covered.

How long has it taken to research and write?

At one level its taken 45 years of “field research,” record collecting, and study. But from the time I started writing and finding the photos it all took 2.5 years. I spent a lot of this time tracking down a selection of iconic photographs from around the world, sometimes digging through archives at agencies, others directly with the photographers of that day. I was fortunate to meet several of those photojournalists including Neal Preston, Armando Gallo, Neil Zlozower, and Lisa Tanner, who opened their archives for me at their studios or homes. I could not believe how many amazing shots exist that have never been seen by fans, shots that captured our musical heroes in their prime.

Another thing that took a lot of time was combing through more than 100 rock films from the decade, all part of my private collection. You and I know that TV appearances, professionally filmed 35mm movies—even celluloid left in the can for years, sometimes decades after light hit the film—are finally getting home video or streaming media release. I remember going to see many of these films at the local cinema that featured Led Zeppelin, Yes, AC/DC, Alice Cooper, Paul McCartney and Wings, and so many others. Now, just about every major band of the rock world can be seen performing live in one format or another, thanks to Eagle Rock Entertainment, Warner Home Video, and others who are helping to keep their legacies alive. I’m still that guy, the one who collects the high quality digital transfers available on media, rather than streaming them. Having said that, many of these films are available on streaming services like YouTube.

Were there any gigs you didn’t go to which you wished you had seen?

Oh yeah! For each band I had to select what I think in retrospect was their finest hour –the best album and concert, and the best film covering that band, hopefully for that same tour. In the case for instance of Jethro Tull, I had not seen the Passion Play tour, but I knew through older friends and research that it would have been for me their best, and that is my favorite Tull record after all. Same with Genesis’ Lamb tour, though tribute band The Musical Box recreated it professionally just recently.

In a few examples, I did not get to see the band in the ‘70s but instead did catch them later. Only three bands out of 36 eluded me completely. I was never inclined to see AC/DC (although I did enjoy the great film, Let There Be Rock!), and Happy The Man never toured the west coast (and, there is no film!). The worst mistake was missing the mighty Led Zeppelin. In the case of the Zep ‘77 tour, I loved Presence, and that was the concert to see, but I was instead booked to see Pink Floyd’s Animals concert just weeks before and budgets kept me from seeing more than one show every couple months.

What was the best gig you ever saw?

All of that is in the Genesis family – I will never forget the Wind & Wuthering tour in 1977, and the first time I saw Peter Gabriel solo at the Roxy Theater the next year. But number one was Gabriel’s tour for his 4th album (also dubbed Security) which came early in the ‘80s – it’s a bit of a cheat as I cover that show in this “70s” book, but it’s really for me, the epilogue of the ‘70s decade. He absolutely stunned the audience and finally emerged on his own at the level of performance he had achieved while in his former band. Armando Gallo’s unbelievable shots give a very good idea of the drama. As there is literally no film of this seminal tour, we examine the So movie, particularly those songs he performed in the same way as that prior tour (like “Lay Your Hands On Me”).

Others in the top tier include Paul McCartney’s Wings Over America tour, Queen’s News of the World tour during which Freddie held the audience in complete awe, Kansas Point on Know Return featuring Steve Walsh giving the most physical performance I’ve ever seen, Dixie Dregs with their stunning virtuosity, Camel, ELO – so many incredible shows I will never forget. For the Floyd, while Animals was spectacular, I suffered a bit of “bad vibe” that night in the gi-hugic Anaheim Stadium, and it was eventually to be Roger Water’s restaging of the Wall this decade that became the ultimate live experience of that band’s music for me.

How did you go about the picture research?

This was the most difficult part of the book’s production, hands down. Thank God for Google, but even with all the search engines in the world, it was amazingly difficult to find some of the photographers and shots that eventually did appear in the book. One snap alone, of Camel in concert with the London Symphony Orchestra on the night they recorded The Snow Goose together, took 7 months to find and it was sitting in the vaults at The Daily Mail, having also been recently unearthed by a researcher at PROG magazine (RIP). I never found shots of Ambrosia and Happy The Man until I actually reached a member from the band themselves, who had boxes “in the attic” with old shots and memorabilia. A lot of the shots in the book came from slides I was allowed to borrow and scan at Dickermans in San Francisco.

Ambrosia’s David Pack, Joe Puerta

What is your next project?

Well, this book was so expensive to produce that I have to sell all the copies I ordered during this year. Provided that happens, I will move to the next decade, sliding into the ‘80s with late ‘70s punk, then covering the era of New Wave music, including bands like Depeche Mode, The Cocteau Twins, Japan, Echo & The Bunnymen and so many others that were part of the second “British invasion!” I’m really looking forward to that as I’ve not seen any great ‘80s genre books that include what for me were the best bands of that decade with any kind of stunning photography.

Thank you to Jon Downes and his long time support of my work at GonzoWeekly.com

Rick Wakeman just released DVD and CD/DVD sets of the original series called Gastank, a unique show aired in the U.K. on channel 4 back in 1982-1983. It featured Wakeman interviewing a host of musical artists as diverse as Steve Hackett, Ian Paice, Andy Fairweather Low, John Entwistle, Eric Burdon, and Godley and Crème, then joining these musicians for a few live numbers with stalwart cohost Tony Ashton and friends. The show was beloved by fans of rock and prog music who had the chance to see some well established rock ‘n’ roll heroes, along with a few overlooked artists of the era, play bar blues, classic, progressive old and new songs live in an intimate setting. It’s available via Wakeman’s site and at Gonzo Multimedia here: http://www.gonzomultimedia.com/product_details/15960/Rick_Wakeman-Gastank_(DVD).html

Anyone interested Wakeman’s mid-period work, or any of the guests on this show are advised to pick up a copy of this rare set. Every segment is interesting and even of historical importance in some way, be it the interviews or live numbers. One of the best moments of the set is Wakeman and Ashton sharing a piano for a hilarious bit simply called “Keyboard Adlib.” That and Steve Hackett’s “Boogie” alone are well worth the price of the set! Sound good? Read on…

Background / Interview with Rick Wakeman

Rick Wakeman and Steve Hackett

The year is 1982. Popular music has gone through several tumultuous years, an understatement for artists of the time. Classic and progressive rock musicians are at that moment reimaging themselves, their sound, and their stagecraft, in light of new influences, and the tremendous impact of music videos via the juggernaut called MTV. Punk has come and mostly gone, but continues to influence a host of bands, all plying slightly different musical territory, be it goth, ska, “new wave” dance or one of any number of increasingly eclectic musical styles.

In the face of these events, Wakeman and Tony Ashton, established a new television show called GasTank. Produced by Paul Knight with associate Ralph Tobert, Directed by Gerry Mill and recorded in a pub setting with stage and small studio audience, the show aired in the U.K. on channel 4 in 1982-1983.

John Entwistle and Rick Wakeman

As an example, GasTank #1 kicks off with a couple of pieces by Ashton and Wakeman, then features friends Rick Parfitt from Status Quo, a reggae band The Cimarons, then legends Alvin Lee and Eric Burdon. Ashton brings a sense of humor, honky tonk bar-band blues piano and gritty vocals to his featured songs – his bits are often tongue-in-cheek and always enjoyable. Wakeman is, well, the man and musician we’ve come to know over so many years in the business – funny, disarming even, and as always brilliant on the keys. The house band includes long time Wakeman drummer Tony Fernandez with Chas Cronk and Jerome Rimson on bass. The rest of the crew play their parts whether an original tune from their catalog, or a suitable cover, such as when Eric Burdon introduces a long time Elvis Presley favorite. It’s intimate and thoroughly enjoyable for any fan or interested viewer.

Three cameramen, Richard Dellow, Andy Watt, and Mike Hand Bowman capture the action primarily from positions just in front of the small stage, or on it, affording us an upfront view of fingers, frets, and performances. The sound by Mike Erander and enduring quality of the footage itself is exceptional.

GasTank has long been unavailable on home video in any format. The box set from Gonzo Multimedia puts that right. It includes every episode of the series, presented over 2 DVDs (and in the larger set 3CDs as well) along with an interviews book and other goodies.

But there is a bit more to the story of GasTank, and for that we talked to the man himself, Rick Wakeman to learn more.

Rick, how did the concept for Gas Tank come about?

My dear friend Tony Ashton came up with it. The whole idea of the program, of playing live with people was his brainchild. He came up with the name as well, which I thought was a great name – back then “gas” was a hip expression. He was wonderful to play with – all Tony wanted to do was play piano, which worked well cause I played synths. He was a great boogie-woogie rock player – bands like Ashton, Gardener and Dyke and all the other groups he worked with are evidence to that. He was so, so good. It was sad when he died. One of the nice things is when I watch the programs – it’s the memories of seeing Tony play and all the good times that we had that I cherish. We did have amazing amounts of fun.

Tony Ashton and band

What to you are some of the standout moments from the interviews or performances from the show, from your perspective?

There were quite a few standout performances. Phil Lynott was a great friend who came on and you’ll see when you watch it, he introduced a new member of Thin Lizzy, one that became a very important part of the band. John Entwistle’s solo appearance will remain with me forever. I asked him to come on – he was a great friend. I said “I want you to do a long solo – imagine an extended “My Generation” type of solo.” He said okay. So we wrote this piece for him and he did it in rehearsal. It was a good solo – a bit subdued, but I thought it would be really nice. Then his roadie took me aside and said ‘be prepared for tonight – that was just playing around.’ The solo he did for the taping was just jaw dropping – he absolutely knew how to take it to that next level. We had some good fun things on there. Suzy Quatro, Maggie Bell – lots of other performances. There were fun things as well – odd comments made, John Entwistle made one comment and his ex-wife sued him!

We had a great house band – we had a lot of fun with the house band – all great friends and camaraderie. Alvin Lee was on as a guest and he was fantastic. He loved it so much, he asked to come down and play in the house band. We had that with a few of the guest musicians – not just playing and leaving but most staying all day and watching the other people that came in. We had it set up like a club, and it was a great idea and it would still stand up today.

Give us one or two humorous anecdotes about the proceedings, something that went wrong or was surprising or even shocking?

Rick Parfitt came in and it was the first time he had ever performed solo. And I remember him saying to me “I’m nervous, I never get nervous!” He helped overcome his nerves before we did the interview, by getting completely rat-faced; mind you I was as well. I sat with him doing the interview and I saw the lights were on but no one was in, and he could see in me there wasn’t anyone in either! I asked him a question (mumbles) “how did it feel to do your first solo” and he just grinned – and you can’t see this part because the footage was lost, but he came off the stool and he stumbled by me and landed on the floor (whack). The producers voice came down from upstairs and he said, “probably best to do this interview tomorrow!”

We used to do the interviews after the recordings, we would record in the morning then we would have a liquid lunch then we would do the interviews in the afternoon. They organized a green room, which was heavily stocked with alcohol – better than most pubs and bars. After the incident with Parfitt the green room was only opened after the interviews had been done!

More of this interview can be found inside the set’s booklet, including artists of today who would be on Rick’s wish list if there show were to be revived… and a recollection by dearly departed talent Tony Ashton

Not included, however, is Rick’s perfect pitch for the DVD/CD Box Set:

I can truly recommend that you buy this wonderful collection. The reason I can say this is, I’d buy it myself! It contains so much history, so much fantastic playing, interviews that will never be heard again from a lot of people whom sadly are no longer with us. There’s some music that was never recorded anywhere else. It’s part of our heritage and history and if you’re old enough to remember it, it will bring back great memories. If you weren’t even born at the time, I’m sure you will like a lot of the music, and will like going back and learning how so much of it came about. The GasTank collection, there will never be anything else quite like it, I can guarantee that!

Like many fans who read this, I’ve had a lifelong passion for all things Yes, every incarnation of the band, the solo records, the shows… everything. I’ve even braved cruise liners to see a version of the group twice now on the annual Cruise to the Edge voyage, something I thought I would never do. I’ve found something to appreciate in every era of Yes music, whether early on in the ’70s, through the more commercially appealing ‘80s, and beyond. Every lineup featured musical genius; from guitarists Peter Banks, Steve Howe, and Trevor Rabin, lead vocalists Jon Anderson to Trevor Horn, from Tony Kaye, to Rick Wakeman, Patrick Moraz, back to Rick Wakeman, you know the drill. Yes’s music and message at its best challenges the mind, engages the heart, and sometimes even inspires a bit of boogie. All of that was true last Sunday December 4th on last night of ARW’s 2016 US tour at the Masonic Auditorium, San Francisco.

ARW is absolutely the best combination of Yes alum I’ve seen in the last few years. Jon Anderson is certainly the definitive Yes vocalist, Rick Wakeman the classically trained gem of Britain, and Trevor Rabin the searing guitar player who led the band through the tumultuous 1980s. These musicians are able to traverse the history of Yes music, performing each song with reverence to the original yet with space for improvisation. It was a wonder and privilege to see them together on stage again.

Though ARW intend to record, the band, which included veteran prog bassist Lee Pomeroy and drummer Louis Molino III is not performing new material at this time, which means this first tour is a journey back through the Yes catalog. Spoiler alert for UK fans: the set list selections went all the way back to 1971’s The Yes Album (“Perpetual Change,” “All Good People”), Fragile (‘Heart of the Sunrise,” “Long Distance Runaround/The Fish,” and encore “Roundabout”), Close to the Edge (“And You and I”), and Going for the One (for the stunning set highlight “Awaken”). Rabin-era tracks such as “Cinema,” “Hold On,” “Rhythm of Love,” Union track “Life Me Up,” a tight version of crowd pleaser “Changes” and closer “Owner of a Lonely Heart” buoyed the set. At some shows, though not ours, the beautiful Anderson/Wakeman track “The Meeting” from the AWBH album was also performed. The more mystical, spiritual Yes songs from the ‘70s and the relatively more urban sound of the Rabin-era work from the ‘80s were perfectly blended for maximum enjoyment, even more so in this setting than on the 1991 Union tour.

The entire band truly seemed to be happy on stage together, to be greeting audiences and once again playing this legendary music. Before the tour, Wakeman professed excitement at being able to work with Rabin again and it shows in the live setting, as he was prone to broad smiles and laughs whenever Rabin crossed the stage to be nearby, and when the keyboardist donned the portable “keytar” for some dueling solos. Wakeman brought almost a dozen different keyboards, as is his want, to perfectly recreate the sounds of Yes, including an approximation of the real church organ used to record “Awaken.” Anderson was in amazing voice, as good as I’ve heard in the last 20 years; his face alight with the joy of performance and the chance to share his meaningful lyrics with open heart once again. Rabin was similarly upbeat and enthusiastic. Despite recovering from a cold, he gave it all on stage, his fluid rapid-fire riffs generating bouts of applause, his vocals adding to the whole. Lee Pomeroy is a singularly talented bass player, as he crosses pop and prog genres, playing on and off again as he does with many prog legends, including Wakeman’s solo band, Steve Hackett’s Genesis Revisited, Gentle Giant’s Three Friends, and Jeff Lynne’s ELO among others. Pomeroy brought honor to Squire’s bass leads, particularly on “The Fish,” using multi-track capture/repeat gear to approximate the effect of the studio masterwork. Molino’s drum solo, and steady work on skins grounded and punctuated these complex songs.

The staging was simple but effective, with silk backdrops that reflected dazzling colored lights, and though on both nights I attended there was a bit of trouble getting the sound mix just right, everything coming out of the speakers was ear candy for hungry audiophiles. Patrons in the U.K., Europe and Japan, don’t miss this one when it comes your way!